Hyderabad: Three members including two women of an interstate Pardhi gang led by a woman leader and involved in 12 burglaries in various cities were arrested by OU police. The police recovered 60 tolas of gold ornaments, 2 kg of silver and a car, all worth Rs 22 lakh.
The accused were identified as kingpin Manish Disco, her husband Ali Raza Khan and accomplice Roopa bhai were apprehended in Bhopal. Police added that that they were looking out for three more members.
Hyderabad police commissioner Anjani Kumar said, “Although the gang was operating since 2004 they were never grilled by the police. Technical evidence and CCTV footage played a vital role in the investigation of this case.”
Their modus operandi was first to scout for houses that were locked, enter them through the rear and burgle them, Mr Anjani Kumar said. Usually they come by train and commit offences in areas close to the railway station.
According to the police, on July 26, between 10.30 am and 4.30 pm, the accused broke into the house of P. Satish Reddy of Tarnaka through the kitchen door and decamped with ornaments, and cash worth Rs 1.4 lakh.
In this particular case, the accused came in a car. Explaining the reason behind it, Osmania University police detective inspector L. Ramesh Naik, “If they had planned only one burglary they would have come by train, but they planned a series of burglaries. After July 26, they committed two more offences in Kazipet.”
The breakthrough reportedly came when the police traced the car.
The OU police booked a case under IPC Section 454 IPC (lurking, house trespass or break-in in order to commit offence) punishable with imprisonment and Section 380 (theft).
Mr Kumar added that the Pardhi tribe was found mostly in Maharashtra and parts of Madhya Pradesh. The British brought them under the Criminal Tribes Act and branded these tribes as criminals from birth. More than 90 per cent have been brought into the mainstream and provided jobs. Some still resort to burglaries.
